1. Field of the Invention
Certain novel pyridine compounds and fluoride salts thereof; antiplaque, anticaries and antiperiodontitis compounds; oral and dental hygiene compositions thereof, method of treating therewith, and combinations with known antiplaque compounds such as biguanidines.
2. Prior Art
The oral diseases periodontitis and dental caries are plaque-related problems of a complex nature and origin, which have until the present been most successfully treated or obviated by the mechanical removal of plaque, since the chemical approach to plaque inhibition has not been successful. The present invention, however, provides compounds having relatively low toxicity and which have been shown to be effective for the inhibition of dental plaque and, accordingly, also for the inhibition of dental caries and periodontitis, which problems or ailments are caused by undue buildup of dental plaque and resulting complications.
Since the appearance of the work of Muhleman et al. (Helv. odontol. Acta, 1957), concerning the role of fluorides in the prevention of dental caries, many authors have experimented on amine fluorides or inorganic fluorides.
In general, the complexes recommended are unstable and are deactivated by rapid hydrolysis; this is true of tin fluoride. The organic fluorides are frequently less active, since the ionization constant is low.
All established more or less useful compounds of the prior art have been found to be characterized by serious shortcomings and/or side effects, and there exists a clear and ever-growing demand for more specific and advantageous compounds or treatments in this activity and utility area, especially for antiplaque, anticaries, and anti-periodontitis products and methods. The fulfillment of this demand is one of the objects of the present invention, as will become more fully apparent hereinafter.
The new compounds which are the object of the invention have the advantage of being good carriers of fluorine which have the following properties:
Fluorides stable in aqueous solution PA1 High ionization constant PA1 Nontoxic organic molecule PA1 R.sub.2 = ch.sub.2 --oh, alkyl carboxylate, ##STR4## and R.sub.2 is in the 2 or 3 position.
and in particular of combining the action of fluorine in the prevention of dental caries with a tonifying effect on the gums and a power of inhibition with respect to the formation of dental plaque.
This is the first time that these three beneficial actions are combined in the same molecule.